Cooling recovery system and method

Abstract

A cooling recover system and method are disclosed. A fluid, such as water, is chilled and provided to a cooling coil to cool and dehumidify air passing over the cooling coil. The fluid is output from the cooling coil through an outlet, and at least a portion of the fluid from the outlet of the cooling coil is provided to an inlet of a heat transfer coil to reheat air passing over the heat transfer coil. The fluid is warmed as it passes through the cooling coil, which warmer temperature serves to reheat the air passing over the heat transfer coil.

What is claimed: 
     
       1. A method for conditioning air, the method comprising:
 receiving partially conditioned air, the partially conditioned air being conditioned by a process comprising:
 cooling and dehumidifying, by a first heat exchanger, unconditioned air passing over the first heat exchanger, the unconditioned air comprising fresh air, the cooling and dehumidifying causing a first temperature of a fluid, within the first heat exchanger and from a fluid chiller, to increase to a second temperature due to heat exchange from the unconditioned air to the fluid within the first heat exchanger occurring during the cooling and dehumidifying of the unconditioned air; 
 outputting, by the first heat exchanger, cooled and dehumidified air; 
 heating, by a second heat exchanger, the cooled and dehumidified air passing over the second heat exchanger, the heating causing the second temperature of the fluid, within the second heat exchanger and from the first heat exchanger, to decrease to a third temperature due to heat exchange from the cooled and dehumidified air to the fluid within the second heat exchanger occurring during the heating of the cooled and dehumidified air; and 
 outputting the heated cooled and dehumidified air as the partially conditioned air; 
 
 heating, by a third heat exchanger, the partially conditioned air that previously passed over the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger; and 
 controlling a plurality of control valves to reduce a cooling demand on the fluid chiller. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of control valves are controlled such that operation of the first heat exchanger results in the unconditioned air passing over the first heat exchanger achieving a supply air temperature sufficiently low to cause dehumidification while raising the second temperature of the fluid. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: receiving from a return air system, return air. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the process further comprises: receiving, from a blower, the unconditioned air from an inlet source. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the process further comprises:
 preheating, by a preheat heat exchanger, the unconditioned air; and 
 outputting, by the preheat heat exchanger, preheated air to the first heat exchanger. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the process further comprises: chilling the fluid prior to the fluid flowing through the first heat exchanger such that the fluid is delivered to the first heat exchanger at the first temperature. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the process further comprises: blowing the unconditioned air over the first heat exchanger. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the process further comprises: filtering particles from the unconditioned air. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the heating, by the third heat exchanger, comprises receiving the fluid from the second heat exchanger, the heating causing the third temperature of the fluid from the second heat exchanger to decrease to a fourth temperature due to heat exchange from the partially conditioned air to the fluid within the third heat exchanger occurring during the heating of the partially conditioned air. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first heat exchanger comprises a cooling coil having at least one row of cooling coils. 
     
     
       11. A method for conditioning air, the method comprising:
 cooling and dehumidifying, by a first heat exchanger, unconditioned air passing over the first heat exchanger, the unconditioned air comprising fresh air, the cooling and dehumidifying causing a first temperature of a fluid, within the first heat exchanger and from a fluid chiller, to increase to a second temperature due to heat exchange from the unconditioned air to the fluid within the first heat exchanger occurring during the cooling and dehumidifying of the unconditioned air; 
 outputting, by the first heat exchanger, cooled and dehumidified air; 
 heating, by a second heat exchanger, the cooled and dehumidified air passing over the second heat exchanger, the heating causing the second temperature of the fluid, within the second heat exchanger and from the first heat exchanger, to decrease to a third temperature due to heat exchange from the cooled and dehumidified air to the fluid within the second heat exchanger occurring during the heating of the cooled and dehumidified air; 
 outputting the heated cooled and dehumidified air as partially conditioned air; 
 providing the partially conditioned air that previously passed over the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger to a third heat exchanger for further heating of the partially conditioned air; and 
 controlling a plurality of control valves to reduce a cooling demand on the fluid chiller. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of control valves are controlled such that operation of the first heat exchanger results in the unconditioned air passing over the first heat exchanger achieving a supply air temperature sufficiently low to cause dehumidification while raising the second temperature of the fluid. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising: receiving from a return air system, return air. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the process further comprises: receiving, from a blower, the unconditioned air from an inlet source. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 preheating, by a preheat heat exchanger, the unconditioned air; and 
 outputting, by the preheat heat exchanger, preheated air to the first heat exchanger. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising: chilling the fluid prior to the fluid flowing through the first heat exchanger such that the fluid is delivered to the first heat exchanger at the first temperature. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising: blowing the unconditioned air over the first heat exchanger. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising: filtering particles from the unconditioned air. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the further heating, by the third heat exchanger, comprises receiving the fluid from the second heat exchanger, the heating causing the third temperature of the fluid from the second heat exchanger to decrease to a fourth temperature due to heat exchange from the partially conditioned air to the fluid within the third heat exchanger occurring during the heating of the partially conditioned air. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first heat exchanger comprises a cooling coil having at least one row of cooling coils.